Medication errors can kill- questions you must ask
Doctors, nurses and pharmacists work very hard to give safe care and prevent mistakes. Still, 400,000 preventable medication errors occur in hospitals each year in the United States! For this reason, it is important that each of us take an active role in our own care by keeping track of and learning about the medicines we take, and knowing what questions to ask our doctor, nurse or pharmacist. Below are some key questions to ask your medical professional before taking any medication.
- What are the brand and generic names of my medicines?
- What does my medicine look like?
- How much of my medicine should I take, and how often should I take it (daily, twice a day, three times a day, etc.)?
- What time of the day should I take this medicine (morning, noon, evening, bedtime)?
- Do I need to avoid dairy products or fruit juices while taking this medicine?
- How long will I need to take this medicine?
- If I start to feel better, can I stop or take less of the medication?
- What are the side effects of this medicine, and what should I do if they happen?
- What should I do if I miss a dose?
- Does this medicine interact with my other medicines (herbals, vitamins, etc.) or with food?
- Does this medicine replace anything else I am taking?
- Where and how do I store my medicine?
- What should I do with any leftover medicine?
Tip: Take these questions to your doctor and/or pharmacist. Write the answers down on a piece of paper and make sure you understand all of the answers. Do not be afraid to ask your doctor or pharacist to repeat any information that you do not fully understand.
